Internet access drops many times during the day & evening

[shrimpie]

Don't know what the issue is but chose Modems & Wifi. Been meaning to ask you this for awhile. For ~ a month now, maybe longer, Internet access has dropped MULTIPLE times during the day. It stays off only for a few minutes then spontaneously reconnects. It's a real nuisance. Both my husband & I have hardwired desktops connected with Shaw's cable. So it's NOT a wifi issue.  

But now it's become totally unacceptable. Haven't used streaming for awhile but now programs we stream are constantly disconnected. We use an iPad to stream using a Cisco linksys & connect to our TV using Chromecast. +We have  Shaw Motorola modem. 

Can someone please check why this is happening ASAP. Thank you.
P.S. We live in an apt. bldg & have been Shaw customers forever.
Cheers, Pat

[mdk]

@shrimpie -- We have Shaw Motorola modem

That is an older device, limited to a maximum of 25 Mbit/second speeds. If you were to contact Shaw, and "upgrade" to one of their newer plans, Shaw would provide (as a net-cost of $0/month rental) a newer modem, and faster speeds, probably at a higher monthly cost, but changing the modem MIGHT solve your issue. Maybe.

Anyway, this is a peer-to-peer forum, not a direct path to Shaw Support.

I recommend that you contact Shaw Support (currently, online chat has priority over telephone) and get them to trouble-shoot. They can remotely logon to the modem, to view the signal-strength reaching the modem, and other values.

There are many items to check, some easier to check than others:

1. try a different CAT-5e (or CAT-6) Ethernet cable between your computer and the cable-modem. If you upgrade, note that a CAT-5 cable is limited to 100 Mbit/second, even if you subscribe to "150 Mbit/second", or a faster speed.
2. try a different cable-modem,
3. try a different coaxial-cable between the cable-modem and the wall outlet. Or, disconnect and reconnect the current cable, to ensure a tight connection.
4. if you have your own coaxial-splitter between the wall outlet and your PVR and cable-modem, try a different splitter. Or, temporarily bypass it -- connect the cable-modem directly to the wall outlet.
5. inside the locked-up Shaw "demarcation box" on the outside of your home, Shaw could try a different coaxial-splitter, or they could cut off the current connectors, and add new coaxial connectors.
6. one person on this forum reported that the coaxial-cable from that "demarc" box to the telephone-pole was frayed, and when the wind blows, the cable moves, and the result is an intermittent connection.

So, lots to check, either by Shaw or by you.

[shrimpie]

Thanks for the reply. Currently I pay $81/mth for 'Internet 15' & total mthly bill is ~$201 for the extra channels I subscribe to & our home phone, which I find high. As a sr in her late 70s there's no way I would contemplate checking anything myself, though I am Internet savvy & still a webmaster. Do I understand correctly I should try online chat vs the telephone & via chat they can check our modem? I've heard from pals they often wait on phone for one hr or more, which is unacceptable.

[DarrylSj]

Me too. BlueCurve Modem, 300 service, $200 per month. Speeds range from 300mbps to ZERO. Been told every reason under the sun why this is my issue, all of which have been disproven. Pure garbage. Been working on it for weeks now, still a week from a service call. 

[shrimpie]

The Chat line is useless. It's a robot on the other end, correct. I went to the Forums & before I could paste this reply of the useless chat, the Internet disconnected. I'll need to phone or may try the Twitter folks first as they've been helpful in the past. These ongoing sporadic outages are INFURIATING to this long-time Shaw customer.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Hi there! I’m your Shaw Assistant, available whenever you need me. I’m still learning, so I’ll connect you to an agent if I don’t have the answer. What can I help you with today?

You at 10:45, Oct 5:
For awhile now our Internet connection disconnects MULTIPLE times/day to our desktop computers, hard wired with Shaw cable. Indeed it may disconnect in the midst of this chat. Became intolerable when we wanted to stream from a tablet to our TV using wifi BUT it's not wifi as it happens on hard-wired desktops.

Info at 10:45, Oct 5:
You are now connected to the Virtual Shaw Assistant.
Shaw Assistant at 10:45, Oct 5:
Shaw Assistant
Are you asking about Shaw Home (Internet, TV, Phone) or Shaw Mobile?
You at 10:45, Oct 5:
Shaw home Internet

Shaw Assistant at 10:45, Oct 5:

There's no service outage in your region.
Shaw Assistant at 10:45, Oct 5:

Having issues with your Internet connection? I may have the solution.
Shaw Assistant at 10:45, Oct 5:
Shaw Assistant
What seems to be the issue? Please select one of the following options.
You at 10:45, Oct 5:
No Internet

Shaw Assistant at 10:45, Oct 5:
Shaw Assistant
Are all devices in your home unable to connect to the Internet?

You at 10:46, Oct 5:
Yes, the 2 desktops & obviously the tablet can't connect when there's no Internet. Happens many times at all hrs

Shaw Assistant at 10:46, Oct 5:

Having issues with your internet connection? I may have the solution.
Shaw Assistant at 10:46, Oct 5:
Shaw Assistant
What seems to be the issue? Please select one of the following options.
You at 10:47, Oct 5:
I chose no Internet already -it's sporadic. Are you a robot or human?

Shaw Assistant at 10:47, Oct 5:
Having issues with your internet connection? I may have the solution.
Shaw Assistant at 10:47, Oct 5:
Shaw Assistant

What seems to be the issue? Please select one of the following options.
You at 10:47, Oct 5:

Shaw Assistant at 10:47, Oct 5:
Shaw Assistant
Are all devices in your home unable to connect to the Internet?
You at 10:47, Oct 5:
All Devices

Shaw Assistant at 10:47, Oct 5:
1. Check modem's power cable and co-ax cable are connected.
2. Unplug the power cable from the back of the modem. After 30 seconds, reconnect the power cable.
3. Wait a few minutes for the modem to restart, and then check if the modem lights indicate the modem is online.
4. If you are using a wireless connection, please forget the network on your device and then reconnect to it.

Shaw Assistant at 10:47, Oct 5:
Shaw Assistant
More Solutions
Did that help? Give me a thumbs up or thumbs down to let me know. For help with a different product, select Shaw Home (Internet, TV, Phone) or Shaw Mobile from the options below.

You at 10:48, Oct 5:
We have internet except when it disconnects often, You are a robot?

Shaw Assistant at 10:48, Oct 5:
Having issues with your internet connection? I may have the solution.
Shaw Assistant at 10:48, Oct 5:
Shaw Assistant
What seems to be the issue? Please select one of the following options.
No Internet
Slow Internet

Type your message
There may be new messages since you were last here, please check above

[shrimpie]

The Shaw Chat guy -a real person - was able to test Internet connection with & without the splitter (I had to bypass the splitter) & splitter was IDed as the issue. Reconnected as before as existing splitter also had TV cable connected to it. But I'll get a new splitter in the mail by the end of this week. Problem solved, I hope.

[mdk]

@shrimpie -- I've heard from pals they often wait on phone for one hr or more

True, according to some contributors on this forum.

While on hold, a pre-recorded message advises the caller that priority is given to Shaw's online chat service.

[mdk]

@shrimpie -- test Internet connection with & without the splitter 

A previous post on this thread stated:

if you have your own coaxial-splitter between the wall outlet and your PVR and cable-modem, try a different splitter.

Or, temporarily bypass it -- connect the cable-modem directly to the wall outlet.

Yes, you originally were in a dialogue with a "robot", not a living/breathing "agent".